MANILA, Philippines — In what seemed to be a farewell speech ahead of his possible arrest, an emotional Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. on Monday thanked his colleagues and said that he is ready to face imprisonment.
"Handa akong mapiit at magsakripisyo dahil alam ko sa tamang panahon ay lalabas at mangingibabaw pa rin ang katotohanan," Revilla said in his televised privilege speech.
"I thank this august chamber for being witness to my pure and genuine intentions to serve our people and give back to their kindness," the senator also said.
In his speech, Revilla also thanked God, his family and his political and showbiz supporters.
The beleaguered senator ended his speech with a video presentation that was backed up by a recording of his own song "Salamat, kaibigan."
Revilla thanked each of his fellow senators including his close friend and co-accused in the pork barrel scam, Senator Jinggoy Estrada.
He jokingly referred to Estrada as "kosa" or inmate, eliciting laughter in the Senate session hall.
"Hanggang dito ba naman magkakasama tayo. Siguro pinagtatawanan tayo ngayon ni Da Boy (Rudy Fernandez) sa langit," Revilla told Estrada in jest.
Turning serious, Revilla also told Estrada: "Hindi ito ang katapusan natin. God is just preparing us for something better."
There were no fireworks this time from Revilla, unlike in his privilege speech earlier this year when he turned the tables on the Aquino administration in connection with the pork barrel scam.
Read: Revilla throws mud at PNoy, denies 'pork' allegation
Instead, Revilla offered nothing but good words to his fellow senators, even to those not allied with him.
He said he will pray for the health of Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago while he wished good luck to Senator Alan Cayetano.
Revilla assured Senator Teofisto Guingona that they will remain friends, even after the Blue Ribbon Committee that Guingona chairs recommended charges against those involved in the pork barrel scam.
"Kaibigan pa rin kita, no matter what. Lead the blue ribbon committee in fulfilling its true mandate," Revilla told Guingona.
Revilla also urged Senate President Franklin Drilon, an ally of President Aquino, to rebuild the chamber's integrity after the pork barrel scam.
"Ipaglaban mo ang institusyong ito," Revilla told Drilon.